Advertising techniques are designed to increase sales. While some types of advertising (relatively rare versions) also adopt social concerns, businesses have primarily one interest in spending money on marketing: driving up sales. This means that nearly any tactic within legal and market standards is open for advertisers to use. Advertisers use information, fear, accusations toward competitors and promises in order to sell. They can also use flattery, sometimes in very effective ways.

Flattery in Advertising

Flattery advertising is simply using flattery to try to sell a good or service. The concept can take many different forms but typical follows a flattery lead into a sale offer. For example, an ad in a magazine may flatter the reader with their taste in choosing that particular magazine (they clearly have excellent fashion sense, political leanings, economic interests or fascinating hobbies) and then suggest that, as such a discerning person, they should also be interested in the product the business is trying to sell. The appeal to flattery can be very potent in such circumstances.

Direct vs. Subtle

Flattery in advertising can be either direct or subtle. Many advertisers try to make their flattery as subtle as possible, but this can be dangerous. Consumers may be talented enough at picking up on flattery through marketing no matter how subtle it is, which can create feelings of mistrust. Blatant flattery, however, can be useful in subconscious ways, since even though the consumer may consciously admit that such flattery is ridiculous, subconsciously the association is still made. The New Belgium beer company, for example, printed 2010 bottles with large print that said "You're holding a great beer and you have wonderful friends." Although overtly ridiculous, such flattery does have scientifically proven effects.

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Flattery in Imitation

Competitors can also flatter each other unintentionally through advertising. This is not directed at customers, but as flattery it can prove a valuable source of information on how businesses view their competition. For example, if a company finds that a competitor has imitated its style of ad, marketing message or the qualities of its product, the flattery can show that the company is on the top of its market, inspiring imitation rather than original competition.

Opposite and Alternate Effects

Advertisers do need to be careful when using flattery advertising, and not just with competitors. Some types of flattery can backfire thoroughly. for example, the Journal of Consumer Research published a 2010 study that showed beauty ads for perfume and other products, designed to flatter women with complements on beauty, can also make women feel uglier and less interested in the products. Even ads without models had this effect.

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About the Author

Tyler Lacoma has worked as a writer and editor for several years after graduating from George Fox University with a degree in business management and writing/literature. He works on business and technology topics for clients such as Obsessable, EBSCO, Drop.io, The TAC Group, Anaxos, Dynamic Page Solutions and others, specializing in ecology, marketing and modern trends.